


The Unexpected Visit

by Temptingareadaholic



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, a lot of maryse surprisingly, robert and jace might have one chapter or more, should follow canon, sorta - Freeform, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-01-08 19:43:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Temptingareadaholic/pseuds/Temptingareadaholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus and Alec have started an ongoing relationship and have been together long enough to be caught in a certain predicament by a certain person's mother. Fighting against the will of a worried mother, what lies will have to be told?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I actually wrote this quite some time ago and posted in on ff.net. It was really bad, like really bad (first fic ever!) and I decided to update it and make it less bad! So here it is! I'll post a chapter fairly often as I clean up the entire fic and then continue on with the story! Here goes!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own these precious precious characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare

Magnus woke up to beams of light hitting him square in the face, obscuring his vision. Blinking away the sleep and turning away from the light that was just way too bright for the morning he face the man who had slowly crept his way into his heart, Alec; the sunlight that previously harshly blinded him was caressing the nephilim's face. His features were peaceful and relaxed, so different from the constant worried look of he usually wore both in battle as he feared for his siblings and in public as he feared for himself. For hours on end, Magnus could stare at the face of the sleeping man. If only he could see the pools of blue as well.  
"How did I get here?" Magnus thought. Ever since Will and the others he had sworn that he would stay away from shadowhunters. Mortals had only ever brought him pain, but then again, who is to say that the pain wasn't worth the feeling of friendship. But ever since Camille, he had sworn he would never fall in love again, the pain was certainly not worth it then. Hearts were too easily broken and never easily repaired. Sometimes he would like to think that he never truly loved Camille, that he could find true love and not feel that pain again, but that would be a lie and lies never helped anyone. Still, something about Alec was different-as cliché as the sounds-never did the flame inside his chest burn as brightly as it does now with the shadowhunter besides him.  
Alec was different. He wasn't just some fling he could bury himself into to forget his pain (and he had done that before). To be quite honest, Alec brought him quite a bit of that pain, which was completely and utterly worth it. He was bold and brave and wonderful, but he was also shy and self-conscious and protective. Sure there were some things wrong with him, but who cared? Right now Magnus didn't. Someday Alec would realize that he was never in love with Jace and someday he would tell the world who he truly loved, which hopefully would be Magnus Bane, but then again this was only the beginning. And who is to say the beginnings always lead to a happy ending.  
Magnus laid back, gently resting his head on the pillow pushed closer than normal to the second, surrounding himself with his thoughts about Alec. One thing was certain; he had managed to change the warlock. He could feel every bit of it inside of him. He wondered if anyone else saw it. The outward appearance the warlock loved to show off hadn't really changed. He still wore his flamboyant clothes, showered himself in glitter, and drowned himself with bright colors. Looking around him he noted the bed sheets of an unusual canary color.  
"Bed sheets," Magnus smugly remembered the night before. It was a night to remember, but they all were, no matter how cheesy it sounded. Every time he was with Alec, his heart stuttered and he had this feeling that started in his chest and then just flowed through him, tugging at his heart. It was indescribable. It felt like…like a high, but just…different. Magnus never wanted to let that feeling go and had to desire to ruin in by figuring just exactly what that "high" was. And when he made love to Alec, it felt like nothing could touch him, well except for Alec of course.  
The sharp sound of the buzzer brought him out of his reverie. Magnus grunted with a sigh of exasperation. Who could possibly be here now? At this time and without an appointment? Some people just had no common courtesy these days Whoever almost woke up his dear Alexander from his much-needed rest was in for it.  
"Who dares call on the High Warlock of Brooklyn," he bellowed. Did it sound kind of stupid? Yes. But Magnus was too annoyed to care. He heard Alec mumble beside him and move. Shit. Magnus, in his anger, had quickly forgotten that his poor Alec was sleeping.  
"Maryse Lightwood," a voice called out. Fuck. Out of any possible person who could be standing on his doorstep, the mother of the closeted-boy next to him was probably the worst choice. The choice became even worse when Magnus realized that their clothes were next to the bed rather than on them. It was quite obvious what they were doing last night and just outside the apartment was his mother. Damn it.  
Magnus quietly got up and snuck out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him. He padded over to the door and opened it.  
"What do you want?" he moaned, trying to get rid of her with his utter rudeness, it was his turn after all. She could in no way step inside the apartment. If she were to discover Alec, then they were both screwed. As much as it pained Magnus, Alec wasn't ready to come out to his parents and forcing him to in the moment could ruin both his relationship with them and Magnus. Alec's declaration of love for him, if that was even possible, was something Magnus yearned for with all of his heart, but not now and not like this.  
"There's something wrong with my son, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, and as his mother I am worried. He's been acting different and I know he's been sneaking out. I just don't know where; it could be dangerous. I've tried to follow him, but somehow he always loses me," she replied. Never had Magnus loved Alec's dark clothing choice more.  
"Your son is eighteen, Mrs. Lightwood, and a shadowhunter," Magnus reminded her, for he sure knew it, "All this is completely normal. I see no reason for you to pursue this so called problem any further." Oh please, please just leave.  
"You don't know me son like I do," Maryse hissed, oh how one day she may wish that were true. That was Alec's fear, wasn't it? That his dear and loving parents would find out and then become a little less loving and dear. "There is something that just isn't right and you will hear me out." And with that she stormed passed him and entered the apartment. Shit. This wasn't going to end well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So this was posted on FF ages ago and now I'm going through and editing this and now posting here and everything under the edit* are the edits to my AN on FF, but I thought they were important so I left them here!  
> Edit (2/1/2014)* Okay, so I started editing this a few days ago, but then I started a new project (it's finished so don't worry) and I really got immersed into it and that particular couple, but now I'm back to editing and will probably just do it all tonight and then new chapter tomorrow!   
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All rights go to Cassandra Clare-

Before Maryse could take one more step, Magnus wrapped his hand around her wrist in desperation, hoping to hold in her in place. The haze from the morning vanished more and more as the warlock saw just how disastrous this situation could be. What if she decided to walk ahead into whatever room she fancied and chose the door that hid her sleeping son and his secret. Maybe an odd decision to choose a closed door and normally the downworlder met clients in the living room, but the party last night, that had seemed like such an amazing idea at the time, left behind furniture strewn with glitter and other substances that Magnus couldn't quite make out. No person of the likes of Maryse Lightwood would consider a place as ruined as the previous party den as fit for a meeting. So, where else to beside see what lies behind closed doors.  It wouldn't have been hard for her to just stumble into the bedroom

"How dare you!" She shrieked, looking disgusted at the thought of a downworlder touching her. Although slightly age, her face held the remnants of youthful beauty and quickly did they leave when her features scrunched up, lips curled as if she was a dog bearing her fangs. With a bitter heart, he wondered what she thought of said downworlder touching her son.

"I'm sorry," he replied sarcastically, "It's not like you're the one who walked into _my_ apartment uninvited or anything." His anger flared; the warlock could feel the heat trickle from his heart spreading to even the points of his fingertips but then it was if ice froze that heat instantly when he remembered the reason this women was here: her son, the man he loved.

"I need you to hear me out. I have plenty of money to pay you, if that's what you're worried about. Frankly, I don't see how I need much more to convince you to help me with my problem," the shadowhunter snapped. The lines drawn from stubbornness matched Alec's, clearly Magnus had found the source of the blue-eyed boy's willfulness. The mere thought of his beloved's connection with his mother threatened to bring a smile to the warlock's face. Magnus had traveled through plenty family lines, always able to pick out the traits passed down and Alec was no different.

"Mrs. Lightwood, my time is valuable and could be better spent on other jobs that are a lot more important than some troubled teen trying to clear his head by getting away from unwanted family," he not so politely pointed out. That was one way of looking at it. Alec was certainly clearing his head, but not in the way she would imagine and until the shadowhunter was ready, she would never come to imagining it like it was.

"But he isn't just sneaking out!" she cried, "He's been acting weird. I know it's awful to say, but he's been slightly more happy and calm. It isn't normal for him. Normally he's brooding, anxious, and quite sullen. I should be happy that his attitude had changed and I am, but I'm also worried. It's too sudden to be believable, so please, help me." Her words jolted Magnus, but it wasn't just that. She lost her resolve, her posture even. The woman's shoulders sat slumped in what looked like defeat: a sight never to be seen on an esteemed Shadowhunter. Could Alec have changed enough to cause so much grief.  Even as the warlock stared at the desperation before him, he couldn't help but feel excitement race through his veins, pumped vigorously by his pounding heart. Alec changed him, that much was obvious, but apparently he changed Alec too.

"Alright, I'll help you, but only because I don't have plans for today," he lied, "Do not expect this to be a long-term job." Her need was clear and her desire to help her son, although he really didn't need the help she was thinking of, lessened his dislike for her. Not mention, of course, someone else might just take the job and Magnus could guarantee that damage would be done.

"Thank you," she sighed, relieve and from the look of her renewed posture, prideful that the stern downworlders resolve had been broken.

Magnus led her to the living room, still in disarray, hoping that Alec was still asleep and didn't accidently waltz into the chaos that had befallen them. Knowing Alec, he would do just that. The boy woke early (surprisingly he was still asleep at this time) and soon would discover that Magnus had disappeared. How could he warn the blue-eyed boy of the danger that lay behind their bedroom door? The downworlder could always easily excused himself, but actions like that might demand a reason and the reason he had was not one she could hear. He looked down awkwardly scratching his neck. His eyes saw nothing by the light boxer shorts he was wearing and that reason came to him rather quickly."Excuse me, Maryse, while I go and make myself decent," he called, already on his way toward the bedroom. He could barely contain himself, wanting to run to the room so he could make sure Alec didn't come out and ruin everything before he could even fix it. The cost of what may happen if he did was just far too high. It pained Magnus not to be acknowledged by Alec's family as his lover or even friend or acquaintance  but he was worth the cracking heart. The thought of letting his beloved down sent shivers down his spine as he could never withstand seeing Alec in pain.

When he finally reached the door, he grasped the knob and turned. He made an opening just wide enough for himself to slip through and quickly shut it behind him. Alec was lying exactly where he left him and still in the same indecency. Magnus was sad to know that soon those peaceful features would be turned into panic when he woke him and told him what had happened.

"Alec, darling," he whispered, shaking his shoulder. The shadowhunter murmured something unintelligible and turned on his side, clearly not wanting to be woken up. Magnus continued to shake him, hoping to make as little noise as possible. When that didn't work, Magnus decided to try a different and much more enjoyable approach as he climbed on top of him, straddling him, and he set his mouth on his. The boy beneath him moan into his mouth and kiss back equal yet more sleepy passion. When the air in his lungs died out and his head soon spun with stars, he breathed in. Alec took his chance and slid his tongue alongside Magnus's. About to release a heated groan, the warlock soon remembered the reason he had came back to the bedroom in the first place.

"Alexander, your mother is here," he announced. There was no easy way to tell him this, so he might as well sat it as it is.

"What?" Alec whisper screamed, sitting up so quickly that he almost knocked Magnus off of him.  Magnus could see the fear burned in his eyes at the thought of discovery. As always, Alec never knew how much this crushed Magnus inside. He never knew the constant warring  emotions inside him, wracking his body with destruction. Beneath his Façade was a fragile man who had been hurt too many times.

"Your mother is here and she will not leave until I help her," he explained, his face carried his usual calmness.

"It's fine…um…I'll just hide in here while you help her and when she leaves it'll all be fine. But she can't come in here or…," he trailed off. Realization dawned on him. "Why is she here anyways?"

"According to her, you've been acting very suspicious lately and she wants to know why, the average worried mother," Magnus informed Alec.

"What are we going to do?" questioned Alec. Their problem briefly fell from Magnus' mind when the word "we" slipped from Alec's mouth. To Magnus it was always their problem, but never did he think that the same word was on Alec's mind as well.

"I can't just send her away because she'll go to someone else. If I truly help her, she'll find out about us. I'm going to have to lead her on some wild goose chase, but also convince her that I solved her problem at the same time," he rambled, moaning inwardly at the intricate planning that this would take. There was such an _easy_ solution to this, but Alec would never consider it.

"Okay," was all he said. It was amazing how such a little word could hurt.

"Alexander, can't you hear me screaming? Don't you see how much you hurt me? You unknowingly rip out my heart repeatedly. I love you so much, but you don't love me enough to tell your family about me, or even your closest friends. Am I not important enough?" He thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that ends chapter 2, don't be surprised if you see the writing style change slightly as I go along. Looking back I realized I was a terrible write a year ago and it's hard to edit without basically rewriting the entire thing (which is pretty much what I did for this chapter), but still...I have a few more chapters to edit and then I'll start writing brand new ones!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Okay, so edits are underway and not as quick as I hoped, but they're happening and I will notify you when I start posting new chapters  
> Edit(2/1/2014)* Wow! Okay editing this is not as easy as I thought this would be. That last chapter I pretty much rewrote! So, um I'll try, but I don't know if I'll finish editing tonight, but I'll definitely try. My writing hopefully will get less shitty as I get farther and farther.

In the distance, Alec could hear someone whispering his name, the sound just barely pricking through the his veil of consciousness. He followed the voice to the edge. Oh, how it was an impossible decision to make. He could either wake up and wrap himself in the warmth and comfort of his magnificent lover or he could fall back into the tendrils of sleep and let exhaustion that was creeping through him take him. While the prospect of spending time with Magnus, whether it be engaging in certain _activities_ or just relaxing by his side, his energy level was at its limit. He turned to his side and mumbled something about being too tired on the hope that Magnus would guide him back to the land of sleep. It didn't work. Magnus continued to shake him while he continued not to respond. Eventually, he stopped and Alec thought he had finally won the battle for peace and dreams. All of a sudden, he felt a weight on top of him and Magnus' lips met his own. His response was immediate and a moan escaped him. The feeling of want seeped through him, drenching his body in warm desire. Alec felt Magnus's mouth open beneath him and he pushed his tongue in along with the warlock's. He sank into the oblivion that was Magnus. The feel of him, the scent, the flavor of his mouth, but then Magnus removed himself from Alec.

Before he could pull him back for more sweet endlessness, Magnus gasped, "Alexander, your mother is here." Desire was drained from his body and fright replaced the lust that was once in his eyes. No. It wasn't possible. He hadn't told anyone about his relationship with Magnus, not even Isabelle, although she probably knew about it anyway.

"What?" Alec whispered, barely able to keep himself from screaming. The nightmare that haunted his mind day and night had taken life. His parent would disown him and the Clave would find out, taking away the most important thing to him, well almost most important. He wouldn't be a shadowhunter anymore and he wouldn't be able to see Jace, Izzy, and Max. He would be nothing: a failure. The nephilim's thoughts continued to spiral down into agony. Nightmare could no longer describe the situation he had landed himself in.

"Your mother is here and she will not leave until I help her," explained Magnus. Relief washed over him. She'll be gone soon and never know her soon lay feet away in the warlock's bed. Alec saw a tinge of sadness in Magnus' eye. That second of relief was instantly replaced with guilt as Alec realized the pain he was causing him. He hated himself, he hated himself every time he made Magnus suffer, but the thought of coming out was too much. It only pushed him deeper into the closet as Magnus did everything he could to pull him out.

"It's fine…um…I'll just hide in here while you help her and when she leaves it'll all be fine. But she can't come in here or…," he babbled, but then he figured it out, of course, it wasn't fine. Nothing was happening in their world that would require the need of a warlock as talented and powerful as Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn. His mother would never come to a warlock for aid unless absolutely needed. What if she knows?

"Why is she here anyways?" he choked out, fearing the answer. Everything would be over. He thought back to the beautiful haze of last night, staring into those brilliant gold-green eyes and running his hands over the smooth surface of his stomach. His fingers would linger over that tiny spot where his belly button was supposed to be. He was consumed in this burning passion, desire, and this powerful feeling in his chest he couldn't quite give a name too. What if he lost this as well? Somehow, this lose felt different. It wasn't crushing in the way losing his family and existence as a shadowhunter was. His feelings toward losing Magnus were more of hopelessness, like he had lost the last anchor holding him to this earth.

"According to her, you've been acting very suspicious lately and she wants to know why, the average worried mother," he told him. These words brought very little comfort to the boy as Alec didn't know if he should be relieved or frightened. She didn't know…yet, but she was still really close .

"What are we going to do?" Alec exhaled, noticing a flicker of light in Magnus' eye. He yearn to be in Magnus' arms, to be comforted by his soothing voice; but he didn't deserve this from Magnus, not after all the shit he's put him through. It was amazing Magnus was still with him, amazing he had any feelings for Alec at all, cared for him. Alexander loved…loved?...yes, loved him for it.

"I can't just send her away because she'll go to someone else. If I truly help her, she'll find out about us. I'm going to have to lead her on some wild goose chase, but also convince her that I solved her problem at the same time," Magnus sighed. Alec could hear the disappointment in his voice. Sorrow engulfed him. How long could he go on hurting this man who somehow  dug his way into his heart and sat there stubbornly, refusing to leave.

"Okay," was all he could say and the weight of it pulled him down even further.

"Magnus, can't you understand what it is like for me? I don't want to live a lie anymore, but I have to. I love you, there is no denying that, but I can't tell my parents about us. I can't let the world know about us. I'm sorry. Can't you tell how sorry I am? Can't you tell how much I'm trying? Can you forgive me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please make sure to comment and review as when I do begin writing new chapters I do take you opinions into consideration when it comes to some decisions! I will try to update chapters quickly (my internet right now is really iffy, I've tried to update this chapter at least ten times)! I'll see you soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. All rights to Cassandra Clare
> 
> Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long :( A little distracted with school and my ever growing obsession with Tumblr. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I hope I write quicker! 
> 
> Edit(2/1/2014)* Okay, chapter 4 now! Editing this (and having some lovely conversations with my editor has left me with a fairly good idea of where this is heading! I will still edit this entire thing, but I don't know if I'll have a new chapter for you tomorrow, but soon! Also the note above is from ages ago.

Magnus stepped out of the bedroom and began making his way toward Maryse. He was wearing hastily thrown on clothes and was trying to quickly straighten out his appearance to something a bit more presentable in the short walk from the bedroom to the living room. He need more time to formulate a plan and put it to action, so for now all he could do was try to side step her and hopefully make he leave for the time being.

"Took you long enough," Maryse sneered, her mean demeanor hiding just how worried she was. The eyes gave it away. They were so similar to the ones that just previously stared up at him in desperation. As the morning drew on, the downworlder was beginning to see the small connections between the women who stood before him and Alexander. "There's no need to be rude. After all, I'm here to help," he finished with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He may feel pity for her, but she deserved the same treatment she was giving. At first it had amazed him how shadowhunters could come and ask for his help, but still treat him like the dirt on their shoes. Now he had gotten use to it. Still, Alexander had always treated him differently, treated him like a person. The image of another blue-eyed nephilim who had done the same entered his mind, but he quickly pushed the painful memory away. Now was not the time to dwell on the past, just the future.

"Those clothes look like something Alexander would wear," she remarked sadly, thinking about her son. Magnus looked down in horror to find that in his rush he had put on the black shirt Alec was wearing earlier. Admittingly, his boyfriend's clothes didn't look half bad on him.

"I wouldn't know," he sputtered quickly, hoping to turn her attention away.

"Now as I said before, he's been acting strange lately. Whenever I see him, he's constantly smiling and it looks like he's walking on clouds," she explained, thankfully thinking no more of the shirt. "It's like his mind is completely somewhere else."

"So you came to me because you're worried that your son is happy?" questioned Magnus, not quite seeing how Maryse saw this as a problem. He dreamed for his happiness every day, why was it so upsetting for her when she saw it?

"I'm worried because I don't know what's making him happy and I don't know whether is good or bad. I just want to know if he's safe." Her voice cracked. her shield of superiority continued to fall and Magnus could see the mother underneath it all who was eaten away by the simple idea that her son might be in any trouble. In that moment, he let pity override any animosity he felt toward her, the women who bit back her pride, even if it was only a little, to ask a downworlder for help. If only he could tell her the truth.

"I'll look into it," his voice softened, "I highly doubt he's doing something irresponsible. He didn't seem like the type when they came over to question me about Clary." He tried to offer what small comfort he could, hoping that in some way he could relieve her pain as he deceived her, for the good of the one he loved.

"Thank you," she uttered, color flushed back to her cheeks as relief took her. Soon she would have one less thing to worry about.

"You should go home now; there isn't much I can do at the moment. I will notify you when I know more," he told her, now guiding her to the door. When the door was finally closed he let go of a breath he didn't even know he was holding in. His heart began to slow down and he felt his body relax.

The bedroom door squeaked as Alec opened it, now coming into the living room. A look of worry tainted his gorgeous blue eyes. His lover would do anything to make that go away.

"So, what do we do now?" inquired Alec, his voice soft and smooth.

"Honestly, I don't know yet," replied Magnus. When the Alec's eyes widened in fear he quickly added, "But I do know it's possible, we just need a little help. Call your sister Alec. We're going to need her." Isabelle had known about Magnus and Alec for quite a bit, so Alec hopefully wouldn't mind going to her right now.

Magnus walked over to Alec and wrapped his arms around him, bringing him in for tight embrace. He kissed his forehead and whispered, "It's alright, we'll fix this." If only there was nothing to fix.

A couple of minute later, Alec called Isabelle and the sat their waiting for her arrival. Soon, the doorbell rang, startling them. Magnus slowly walked to the door, giving Alec a chance to back to the room in case Maryse had returned. To his relief, Isabelle stood outside waiting for him.

"You needed my help?" Isabelle said, walking past him and into the apartments. Seriously, what was with the Lightwood women walking in uninvited?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edits are now done and everything will be posted! Also chapter five on fanfiction.net was a apology for writer's block. So to keep everything less confusing from me. The next chapter will be labeled chapter six because that's how it is done there.


	5. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm so so so sorry that I haven't updated in a while. Between the writer's block and the stress of school and finals, I haven't really been paying attention to this story. For those of you who were with me since the first chapter, you're amazing and I love you. I'll try to update more quickly from now own and eventually finish this story, but that depends on which direction it takes. Again, I'm really sorry. Please enjoy the continuation of this fic.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments nor it's perfect characters. They belong to the amazing and talented Cassandra Clare  
> Edit(2/6/2014)* Hey so I know that these edits really aren't coming all that quick, and I'm sorry, but I either get busy with school or get busy with the myriad of projects I've taken on. I will try to hurry up the process!

"Alec," called Isabelle, who had raced over when she received his call. She heard the creak of the bedroom door and then watched as her brother walked into the room, the lines marking his tense expression loosened slightly. Worry still buried itself into his eyes, clung onto ever inch of body, and oozed out of every pore. It's presence so strong that as soon as she laid eyes upon him, Isabelle ran to the dark-haired boy and tightly embraced him.

"Hey, Iz," greeted Alec quietly, returning the hug. Magnus watch the two siblings from afar, his heart hung heavy. The boy went through so much trouble to hide their relationship, as if loving Magnus was so bad. But his thoughts were too bitter; of course, that was why Alec choose to hide their love. Although, "love" might be too strong of a term for Alec. Yet to Magnus, it seemed that he was always the last thought on the shadowhunter's mind, never important enough.

"What's wrong, Alec? What happen?" questioned Isabelle. Alec didn't want to explain the situation on the phone, leaving her in a very nervous state during the entirety of her journey. Her brother quickly delved into the tale of the shocking visit of their mother and her unwelcomed decision  to snoop into his private life. He left out some minor details here and there that were a just a tad bit compromising, hoping Isabelle wouldn't notice the blush that began to color his cheeks at the very thought. Of course, being Izzy, she noticed.

"Alec is there something you're not telling me?" asked Isabelle, a slow smirk spreading across her face. The girl had hopes of releasing some of the tension that hung in the room, but the thought of his life with Magnus only made Alec splutter more. They both heard Magnus chuckle in the background, reminding them of his presence.

"Nothing you need to know," he responded, walking over to Magnus and taking his hand, "will you help us?"

"Why don't you just tell her the truth," she sighed and Magnus wholeheartedly agreed with her, but thought it was best if he didn't voice his opinion. Keeping his secret when he was still just pining over Jace was fine, but now the warlock could sense that their relationship had traveled deeper than ever anticipated. What for him started off has pure interest, now had grown to symphony of emotion that washed over him like the ocean contained in his lover's eyes. He was drowning in it. Not only was Alec still hurting himself, but he was also hurting Magnus. As bitter as he could be sometimes, he didn't deserve this. No one deserved this.

"Izzy, you know I can't" he moaned. He knew Alec felt as if there were to great forces pushing him from opposite directions. Only they weren't pushing against each other, but with each other. The two people he trusted with his secret, Clary didn't exactly count, were pushing him toward the one thing he could afford: to be exposed. But it was too much, everything had grown to be too much and the warlock was tired of fighting.

"Why not, Alexander?" she exclaimed. She only ever used his full name when she was upset with him. That was one little quirk of Isabelle Lightwood that Magnus had found he was rather fond of.

"What do you think she'll think about me? I won't be her son anymore. It will pass onto the clave. They'll strip me of my marks and I'll no longer be a servant of the Angel. By the Angel, Izzy! Can't you see?" he yelled. Each word hit Magnus like a bullet, ripping through his flesh, making sure a scar would remain there in its place. Soon his body would be covered in lacerations. How could he be so stupid to fall in love with someone he could never fully be with?

"She's our mother, Alec!" she shouted angrily, "How could you think that? She'll always love you, no matter what!" At this, Alec turned on his heels and stormed off, slamming the apartment door behind him. Fuming, Isabelle made her way over to the couch and plopped down. She put her head in her hands and shrieked in exasperation.

"You're getting quite upset over a problem that doesn't directly affect you," remarked Magnus, taking a seat across from her. His face was just a shell, giving away no emotion.

"He's my brother! Of course this affects me!" she replied, as if slightly insulting by the insinuation.

"Blood doesn't mean anything, Isabelle," he began, but was quickly interrupted by her.

"No it doesn't, but I love him and I would do anything for him. That includes trying to get through that thick skull of his and talk sense into him!" She glared at him for some time before continuing, "you don't exactly seem to be fairing well from this either." The girl had hit a cord.

"There's no need to get into that," he snapped, "this problem is about Alexander, not me." Isabelle wasn't so easily convinced. It was obvious just how much Alec was hurting him. Be he was too caught up in himself to realize it.

"Yes, Magnus, yes there is," she retorted, "Who else are you going to talk to about it? It's not like Alec is really there for you right now." Her face softened as a look of pure despair crossed over Magnus's face. Even fighting to hold up his own facade had become too much. She reached out her hand and grasped his, willing him to speak.

"Fine, it hurts. It hurts like hell! But it's not like I can do much about it. He doesn't want anyone to know and I'll respect that. "he revealed, but Isabelle's face told that she knew there was more to it. "Do you want to know what I really think? I think this won't last long. Why should I waste my time on someone who refuses to love me back?" The words tumbled out before he could grasp any form of control.

"Love?" noticed Isabelle, catching that tiny word that accidently slipped off of Magnus's tongue. His cheeks turned an uncharacteristic shade of red.

"Why am I telling you this anyway," he sneered, letting the bitterness rise up, "why do you even care?" Through hundreds of years of love and loss, Magnus had never quite felt like this before, as if the one loss would be the undoing of it all, the final straw.

"Because you're important to him. Therefore, you're important to me." Was all she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beginning notes are just copies of the fanfiction.net ones. Anything concerning here will be placed in the end notes. That said, thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here is chapter 7. I'm sorry, I know I said I would post it soon, but then stuff came up and it became part of my 9 days pf fanfic on tumblr. I hope you enjoy it!  
> Dislclaimer: I do not own the characters, they all belong to the wonderful Cassandra Clare  
> *Edit (3/9/2014) I've decided to only edit up to chapter nine and then continue posting from there. That said chapter thirteen has been written and will be posted today. Also, keep in mind there was no chapter five, just an apology for writer's block.

"She'll always love you, no matter what," still rung in Alec's ears as he heard the door slam behind him. They seemed so impossible, so contradictory to everything he knew. How could she still love him after she found out? He was disgusting, dirty in the eyes of the Clave. Even through his own eyes he was ashamed. Out of everyone, why did it have to be him? Why couldn't he just fall for some shadowhunter girl like he was supposed to? These thoughts burdened Alec through almost every second of every day. Why him? Why had he not been graced like Jace, who was perfectly normal and perfectly straight. His mind overflowed with such negativity. The constant nagging echoing in his head, except when he was with Magnus. Only then would he question just how lucky he was rather than why the universe seemed to single him out for this torture. With Magnus he no longer felt the desire to be like Jace, to be with Jace.

Alec turned around, expecting to see Isabelle hot on his heels and ready to argue until she was blue in the face. She tried not to push him when it came to telling people, but ever since she found out he was seeing Magnus, she had been bringing it up more often. Small comments here and there, short whispers when she could, Isabelle would not leave the subject alone. He understood that all she wanted for him was to be happy, but didn't she get it? People weren't as accepting as she was; they wouldn't see him the same way. He would be lesser in every single way imaginable. Already had he chosen to be Jace's shadow. Isabelle so was blind to the fact. Why couldn't she just get it and leave it alone?

Isabelle wasn't really the problem here and Alec knew it. Buried underneath his annoyance for his sister was the crushing guilt he felt every time he looked at Magnus. Despite his best efforts, Magnus could never quite cover that look of hurt. His face would remain emotionless, except for his eyes. They released all in their entrancing sparkle or lack of. Alec would always see his eyes shift down, the lids drooping. Those bright gold-green eyes lost a little bit of their luster. It destroyed Alec. But what could he do? His mind offered no remedy.

"She'll always love you, no matter what," that damn sentence kept repeating itself. It held such an enticing comfort, but he knew that fostering such hope would only bolster his pain. Still, doubt slipped through the cracks, allowing the foolish hope to seep in. He had always been on very good terms with his mother, more so than his father. He remembered her coming into his room at night, singing away the darkness. Her voice, filled with motherly love, would float gently around the room, casting out any evil lurking in the corners. There was no doubt of her affection for her children, so why would his sexuality matter to her? It isn't as if he had changed. Alexander Gideon Lightwood: brother, son, warrior.

His mind was made; he was going to tell Maryse, the mother who never buried her love. He wouldn't hide anymore. He was free now, free to love who he wanted. Isabelle was right. She tended to be when it came to stuff like this. She was right when she said Magnus was interested in him, wasn't she? She would be right about their mother. Everything was going to be okay; his lips twitched into a small smile as these thoughts flooded his mind.

Finally looking up, Alec realized he had traveled far from Magnus's apartment. He barely recognized where he was. Looking around for which direction he wanted to go, he saw two men walking down the street. They were holding hands, shoulders brushing up against each other, and completely absorbed by the other. They looked happy. That's what he wanted. But Alec wasn't the only person whose attention they held. All around them, Alec noticed a few looks of disgust quickly hidden when the couple passed. Is that how people would treat him? Would they walk by him and avoid him like trash on the street. Turning their nose up and thinking how dare he put his filth in their presence?

Maryse might not hate him, but would she be disappointed in him? She wouldn't just leave it at that. She would probably go on and tell his father. Robert Lightwood was a strict man and he wouldn't stand for it. He would try to cover it up, hide his son, but eventually people would know. People always knew when something was up. He wouldn't have to hide anymore. Alexander Gideon Lightwood: the gay son who brought disgrace onto his family.

Was Magnus really worth it? How long would Magnus stay with him before he got bored? Alec knew he meant a lot to Magnus right now; it was hard not to see that Magnus liked him, but one day it will be over. Why risk everything for the sake of a few moments of peace? It wasn't as if Magnus was in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so I'm posting chapters here really fast, just keep in mind these were all written ages ago. I also expect the writing style in the later chapters to be different as my writing has matured since I wrote these. Thank you for reading! Chapters will also get longer.


	7. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm sorry! I know it's been a long time and I know I'm not really good at updating quickly! I had a lot of summer work to catch up on and I also started watching another show (finished it, so there are no worries of that distraction) I hope I can update soon. It all depends on whether or not I have the time and if I don't have writer's block! Anyways, terribly sorry! I will try to update sooner! Thank you for coming this far with me. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they all belong to the talented Cassandra Clare  
> *Edit(3/9/2014) Just this chapter and then one more. Then I'll post chapter thirteen and we'll finally be updated and ready to continue.

Eventually, Alec had returned to the institute. He entered through the door with no thought toward who might hear. When Alec had found the courage to spend the night at Magnus's he always took such care when sneaking backing in, but today was different. He was so emotionally drained from the trials of the morning that he didn't even notice his mother standing in the corner awaiting his return.

"And where have you been, Alexander?" scolded Maryse. She wore a mask of anger and yet the worry etched around her eyes could be clearly seen, except by Alec of course. His mind immediately began compiling with lies and excuses. What might she believe? What will make her leave?

"Just walking, mother. Clearing my head," he paused and then continued on, "after everything that's been going on…" He stopped as Maryse's face softened. The parental urge to protect shone through all. But would she still feel that way if she knew? Would she still call herself his mother or want to have anything to do to him? He was repulsive. Only Magnus could remove that feeling, but he wasn't there right now.

"You've been walking a lot, Alexander. And for long periods of time too. I was almost certain you didn't even come home last night," her last sentence, phrased like statement, took on the qualities of a question, almost begging him to tell her if he really spent an entire night walking. She begged him to tell the truth.

"You must not have heard me then, I was trying to be quiet," he lied, hoping she wasn't waiting for him like she was today.

"I guess I must not have," giving up, Maryse walked away. A single tear began forming in the corner of her eyes. She might not have had the best relationship with her son in the first place, but she could feel the increasing distance between them and she wasn't quite sure if she would ever  would be able to shorten it or maybe the thing string holding them together would be severed completely.

When she was finally out of earshot, Alec heaved a huge sigh of relief. He was safe, if only for now, he was safe. He continued toward the lift and then proceeded to make his way toward his bedroom. Alec had lived in the institute so long; he could walk through it blindfolded. Every bump in the carpet and creakiest spots on the floor had been noted, especially during the times he had snuck out. Without thinking about, he crossed through the obstacles of the night. It was routine, one that like now wasn't always necessary, but always there. It was a routine he was getting very tired of very quickly.

He turned the knob slowly and opened the door just enough to slip through. Before he even had the chance to turn around and flop on the bed a voice scared him, causing him to flinch noticeably.

"You really need to pay more attention to your surroundings, Alec" teased Isabelle. She was slumped at the end of his bed, another Lightwood woman awaiting his return.

"We are done talking, Isabelle," Alec was on the verge of shouting. He wanted to scream. The day had started off so good. He woke up to Magnus's soft lips on his and then everything took a turn for the worse. The small world he had slowly built up in the walls of Magnus's apartment crumbled in a violent avalanche when he found out on the other side of the bedroom door stood his mother. Now after everything, he just wanted to sleep and forget the world itself for a bit. Of course, Isabelle wouldn't allow that.

"Alec I know you're scared and I know you worried about Mom and Dad, but did you ever think of Magnus? What you're putting him through isn't fair." Alec looked at her with surprise. Out of everything she could have said, that wasn't anything close to what he had expected. Never had she talked about Magnus, only him, trying to convince him to have faith in his family's love. He stood there lost for words. "Well, did you?"

"I…" he began.  
"I didn't think so," Isabelle said sharply, "You never consider things from Magnus's point of view and if you continue like this, this relationship you have with him won't last!"

"Isabelle please," he cried. He couldn't lose Magnus. He was the one amazing thing in his life, the only person who truly made him feel like he was worth a damn. He saw the person Alec had always hid behind the baggy sweaters and messy hair. He called him beautiful, perfect and even though he felt far from it; Magnus made him believe it, if only for a second. "He has to understand, right? I just can't right now. I'm not ready."

"I know that, Alec, and so does he. He gets it, but there is only so much a person can take and you need to understand that! There are two people in a relationship and you need to start acting like it!" Although her voice was soft, Alec could hear the sincerity behind it, the worry. She genuinely loved and cared about him.

"I know," he breathed out before pulling his sister into a hug. She clung just as tightly as he did, letting Alec know that he was in no way alone. He soon felt tears begin to roll down his cheek. His breathing gradually became harder and harder as he struggled to contain his emotions and failed.

Alexander Gideon Lightwood was scared out of his mind, but he wasn't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, if the chapter labels are confusing and all, it just helps me when posting on two different sites. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Look how fast I updated this time! I'm actually sort of proud of myself for this so shush. Anyways, my computer kept crashing on me, and I lost all my work, so this is all typed on my phone. I'm very sorry about that, but it was the best I could do! So, here it is. A special thanks out to YourVampireGirl98. I used part of the idea you gave me. I hope you liked what I did with it.  
> *note* this was all off my phone, so i'm really sorry if the formatting is weird  
> *Edit(3/9/2014) Hey one more chapter to edit. Although my edits are becoming slightly smaller compared to the first few chapters smothered in red, so this should take so long. I'll be posting before you know it!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own these magnificent characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare

            Maryse couldn't help herself when she heard Alec's raised voice. He was always especially close to Isabelle; he might tell her what's going on with him. From the sound of it, she might already know. Now was her chance.

            "Alec I know you're scared and I know you worried about Mom and Dad, but did you ever think of Magnus? What you're putting him through isn't fair," Isabelle's voice came through the door. Maryse stood there confused. What would cause Alec to be scared of her. He was her son and she loved him, he knew that. He had to know that and what the hell did Magnus have anything to do with him. As far as she knew the only time they had met was when Alec had went to that party with Jace, Isabelle, Clary, and her mundane friend. Alec couldn't possibly know about her visit earlier today. No, he didn't and besides, that didn't fit the context of the conversation. Isabelle sounded as if Alec was hurting the warlock, although she had no idea how. "Well did you?" continued Isabelle. Her daughter's words carried to meaning to her. Would she ever find out the truth about her son?

            "I..." Alec started. His voice was rough and laced with pain. Maryse's heart fell. Why was her child so upset? Had Magnus caused this and not told her, tricked her into thinking that he would actually offer his help? Or, she remembered Isabelle's first words, was this all her fault?

            "I didn't think so," she interrupted harshly, "You never consider things from Magnus's point of view and if you continue like this, this relationship you have with him won't last!" What relationship did Alec have with this warlock? Isabelle couldn't possibly mean what it sounded like. No her son was not romantically involved with this downworlder. How could he be? Magnus was another man. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.  
            "Isabelle please," Alec's voice broke. Maryse wanted to burst into the room and engulf her son in a hug. She wanted to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay. But she held herself back. She needed to know more. Alec was not dating this warlock, this man! She refused to believe it.  
            Alec paused for a bit before, "He has to understand, right? I just can't right now. I'm not ready." Ready for what? Magnus wanted him to do something, there was no denying it, but what could he possibly want Alec to do. They had some sort of relationship, but it wasn't romantic. Alec wasn't gay. He had never showed any signs. He had never showed any interest in... girls. No girl had caught his fancy. Several had tried, her son was a very beautiful boy, but he simply did not care.

            "I know that, Alec, and so does he. He gets it, but there is only so much a person can take and you need to understand that! There are two people in a relationship and you need to start acting like it!" Maryse couldn't deny it anymore. It made sense now. Realizing it, she thought back to every girl he refused, the hushed arguments with his sister. Her son, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, was gay and he was dating the High Warlock of Brooklyn, the very man she had went to for help. He knew exactly what was going on with her son and he didn't tell her! He let her wait, constantly in worry when the solution to everything was just a couple of words. He put her through all this, but why?

            Maryse thought back to what Isabelle said and the fear in Alec's voice. Magnus didn't tell her for her son's sake, he didn't want to hurt him. It was clear the Alec was still digging himself out of the closet and Magnus respected that. He put himself through pain for Alec, maybe he loved him. No, this wasn't his fault, it was hers.

            "I know," came Alec's soft voice. She heard him crossing over to Isabelle and taking her into a hug. The corners of her lips turned up ever so slightly. Isabelle would always be there for her brother. Maryse wanted to question why Alec wouldn't come to her and just tell her, but the answer was too clear. The Clave looked down upon shadowhunters like Alec. She and Robert were very loyal to the Clave, and therefore Alec thought he couldn't trust her. The innermost deepest secret of his heart was locked away because he thought she would put her duties before her son, that she didn't love him enough. He didn't trust his own mother. He doubted her love.  
            Maryse walked away from the room before either of them had a chance to come out and discover her. Her feet made soft scuffing sounds against the carpet as she moved. Already she could feel the tears begin to prick her eyes. She loved Alec with everything she had. He was her child and he was perfect in every way and he thought she'd hate him. The possibility of her hating him scared him so much that he hid from her, not just that part of him, but everything. They rarely ever spoke and Maryse always thought he was trying to avoid her. What parent could make their own child fear them.

            Maryse thought about confronting Alec, letting him know that she overheard his conversation with Isabelle and that it was okay. He was still her son and she loved him. Everything would be fine once she told him, or maybe it would be worse. She eavesdropped in their conversation; she invaded his privacy. How could he trust her?

            She resolved to let it pass, he would tell her on his own. She wouldn't force it out of him. That was no way to gain his trust. She just had to show him how much she loved him. He had to know that would never change, but first a trip to a certain warlock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe this will be the last edited chapter. Keep in mind all the next were edited, I just mean edited after my months of neglect. I promise to to not neglect this fic again. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is where I stopped with the updates and edits and I thought it would be silly to post the authors notes now, so I'm just going to post them. It's just three chapters and I'll let you know when it is a new one. Thank you for reading through this mishap of chapters. I hope it blends better as I start writing again.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare

Once again, Maryse found herself outside of the apartment of Magnus Bane. She look at the name Bane on the door and frowned. He was known as a very talented, very powerful, and some would say very important warlock and he was dating her son. Maryse knew it was true, but she couldn't feel it. It was awkward, out of place. Her Alexander hid behind sweaters that were much too big on him. Those frumpy faded sweaters and baggy jeans cluttered his closet and floor, not a spark of color. Although, he occasionally would wear a dark blue sweater, bringing out the rich blue of his eyes; the eyes he inherited from her. Of course, she never told her son this for the fear that he would rid himself of it, hiding completely in the background. Magnus was the opposite in every way. His flashy clothes and flamboyant personality dragged in attention. He was a man who was impossible to miss, where as Alec was impossible to see. So, how did Magnus see him?

            This time, she didn't hear his booming voice, demanding to know who was there. The door just opened, only enough to show the tired man behind it. He didn't look like the warlock people described, power oozing out of him. He looked like a man who had been through far too much in day and in a lifetime. He hadn't even bothered to refresh the smudged his makeup he had on earlier in the morning and his hair lay flat, like black silk, with just a clump in the back sticking up. Dark circles hung heavy underneath his gold-green eyes, which carried an unusual dullness.

            "Someone doesn't look too good," she taunted. She may have understood why Magnus didn't tell her, but she still wasn't over her initial resentment.

            The anger she was expecting didn't come. His eyes still dull, "I thought I told you I'll contact you when I find something.  It's only been a couple hours Maryse, I haven't exactly had the time to do much yet."

            "May I come in," Maryse politely ignored. Annoyance started to form on his previously emotionless face. It wasn't hard to tell that she was really pushing his boundaries, but given the circumstances she pressed on. For the second time that day she pushed past the warlock and entered the apartment. Not a thing looked different. Not a bowl or glass had been moved. All the doors were left opened or closed, except one. One door was closed during the majority of her visit, opened only a crack to allow Magnus to slip through. Now it was left wide open, showing the ruffled canary yellow sheets. They were messed up far beyond what an average sleeper could achieve and both pillows lay on  the ground, two feet from the bed. Maryse stood there confused before realization daunted on her. Alec had tried to sneak in this morning, she didn't buy his terrible lies, and Magnus took such care to hide what was behind that door. Alec had obviously stayed the night here, doing...things with Magnus. Maryse couldn't bring herself to think it. Bright red began to creep up her face.

            Magnus chuckled behind her. Maryse turned around, an eyebrow raised in confusion. His eyes were different. They were distant and held a spark of light; his lips twitched, a ghost of a smile as if remembering a fond memory. Maybe he was.

            "What?" Maryse demanded. Was he making fun of her blush? She had always hated how easily her cheeks turned red and always at the most inconvenient times. She stood taller, head raised, shoulders rolled back, and her eyes challenging him to make the comment.

            Even with her cold stare, Magnus didn't cower back, although it certainly made him want to. That cold state could send any fierce warrior running for the hills. "It's nothing. You just remind me of someone," he reassured, "two people actually." His thoughts flickered over to the brilliant red against the pale of Alec's skin and the harsh stare of his sister. Now he knew where it all came from. Lost briefly in his thoughts, Maryse saw that soft light fade into the same dull gold-green. She had no idea what caused the sudden change in mood. This damn warlock quickly flitted from empty, to annoyed, to happy, and straight back to empty again.

            They stood there in silence, both thinking. Magnus of a boy with blue eyes who refused to acknowledge him and Maryse of the man, who so utterly confused her, dating her son. But that was the just the thing, wasn't it? He was dating Alec. Hadn't Isabelle said earlier that Alec was putting him through a lot. Right before her was the ramifications of Alec's actions. It was almost destroying Magnus, but he understood. Alec wasn't ready to tell her and Robert. Neither of them knew how they would react. What if he did? What if she told him she knew and it was okay? Who her son dated didn't matter to her. Would that make it better or worse? She wanted Alec to come to her on his own and by the looks of it, so did Magnus.  Would Magnus stop understanding if he knew there was no danger? It could frustrate him more, tear him down even further. She might not be particularly fond of this man, but Alec was and he was fond of Alec. She wouldn't do this to either of them.

            "So what made you decide to come and barge into my apartment this time, Maryse?" interrupted Magnus. She looked up surprised, still pulling out of her last thoughts.

            She hesitated, "I... I came to tell you that I don't require your services anymore. I will repay you for any stress I may have put you through in the past couple of hours."

            He looked up at her with pure astonishment, "Keep your money," he stumbled out, "I have no need for it." He stood there for a minute, staring at her, before, "Why? What have you found out?" His voice began to pick up a worried tone.

            "You were right; there isn't anything to worry about. I'm just being overprotective," she quickly assured him before turning on her heel and leaving a gaping Magnus behind her.

 


	10. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say really...just thank you for reading!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare

She had to have known. No, there was no way she could have known. Alec wouldn't have told her, not yet, maybe never. It certainly began to feel like never. He'd seen Alec almost break down in tears, overcome with fear at the thought of anyone knowing. Not all blood was family and not everyone needed a family like that, but Alec did.  Magnus could clearly see how much Alec relied upon his sister Isabelle. He remembered the warm look on his face as he described the silly things his younger brother would do. His soft laughter would fill the air as he described the various positions he would find him in, sprawled on the couch with more than half of himself hanging off, glasses on the floor. He loved his little brother. And to be cut away from one's parabatai was not something he would ever want to see again. Will's words of how his rune bled began to circulate his mind. Alec had a lot to lose, he knew that. How could he not? He was reminded of it every  time fear entered those beautiful, vulnerable, blue eyes.

            Maybe, her initial fear had passed? Although, it wasn't like she had come to him on a whim. Coming to a warlock for help was never desirable. No, she thought everything out. Maryse Lightwood is a stubborn women. The connection between her and her children was obvious enough.  She was positive something was wrong with her son when she came and positive when she left. Not a doubt troubled her mind, only her son.  So why the hell did she just give up?

            Magnus took a deep breath, making sure he was calmed down enough for his voice to come out normal, smooth. He called Alec. "Darling, your mother paid another visit."

            It didn't take long for Magnus to hear the hurried turn of a key in the lock. Alec burst to the door, slightly out of breath and a small layer of sweat covering his face. He looked exhausted, not just physically, but mentally. The same dark circles that were under Magnus's eyes were under his, as was the dead look that replaced the brilliant blue.

            "Alexander did you actually run here," scolded Magnus, "you do realize just how far I live away, right? I live in Brooklyn!" Alec looked up at him, walking ever before wrapping Magnus in his arms. He buried his face in the crook of his neck.

            "I know," came his muffled voice, "I couldn't take a cab, so I ran. Stamina runes have other purposes, you know?" They stayed there as one unit until finally, Magnus pulled back.

            "So your mother," he hesitated, "she came to cancel our arrangement. Now before you ask, I don't know if this is good or bad. I think she might know something, or at least thinks she does." He flinched at his words, scared of what Alec's reaction would be. He heard a deep sigh before three fingers grabbed his chin and forcibly turned his head down toward Alec. His eyes, although still tired, were defiant.

            "Whatever she knows, she knows," he said. Magnus heart soared. Out of every possible reaction, that was certainly not the one he was expecting. Alec still showed fear, but he didn't let it control him. "Magnus I don't want this. I don't want to keep hiding in fear, wondering when the next time I slip up will be. I'm not ready to tell them, not yet." Upon seeing the small look of disappointment, so small it could barely be seen, he began to speak quicker. "But I want to take a step forward. Isabelle already knows about us and has for quite some time, but I have another sibling I'd like you to meet." Magnus smile as he knew immediately which sibling he was talking about: the little boy with glasses who loved to read manga.  Alec wanted him to meet the brother who put a warm smile on his face and laughter in his voice. It was certainly progress and he'd certainly take it.

            "I'd love to."

 


	11. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is the last chapter. The next one was written yesterday! I'm actually quite proud of myself. I'm sorry for the subpar writing. I hope it gets better after this chapter. Thank you and enjoy!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own these character, they belong to Cassandra Clare

Max Lightwood sat on his bed rereading one of his manga comics. After Clary had shown him the proper way to read them everything finally made sense. Max was still a little angry at himself, after all, the solution was so easy. He should have been able to figure it out on his own. Still, at least he could read them now and the new one he would get as soon as Clary took him to that store she was talking about. The thought had him bouncing with excitement. He could image rows upon rows, stacks upon stacks of comic books. It was a place he never thought he'd get to see, let alone have anyone buy him anything. Max had lost count of the times he was told by his siblings that they were doing grown-up things. Apparently these grown-up things meant they couldn't spend time with their little brother. Clary was the first person in a long time who actually took interest in him.

               A soft knock came from the other side of the room; it sounded almost hesitant. He assumed it was Alec, who usually would just knock lightly. His parents were out so it couldn't possibly his mother; his father never stopped by his room. Jace would normally walk in without bothering and Isabelle would do the same, only with a curt knock before entering. Alec was the only one who waited to be invited in.

            "Come in," called out Max, who returned his attention to the graphic novel in front of him. They were so easily enchanting, but another sight soon ripped his attention away. A man followed Alec into the room and he was drenched in something very sparkly. His eyes, outlined in black, were almost like a raccoon on the outside, but the green-gold of his irises shown like a cat. His hair was almost as black as Alec's and it was styled into spikes. He had also accomplish the feat of being taller than Alec, which few had ever succeeded in. He looked almost as nervous as Alec did.

            "Max," choked out Alec, "I wanted you to meet someone. Worry was written in almost every line of his face and his hand tightly grasping the hand of the man behind him did not go unnoticed. He stood there silently for a few moments, looking as if he wanted to say something, but nothing would come out.

            "Hello," Max chimed in, "Who are you? You don't look like a shadowhunter." At that the tension broke and Magnus let out a warm laughter that filled the room. Alec visibly began to relax, but there was still a tinge of worry in his eyes.

            Magnus spoke this time, "No, I'm not a shadowhunter. I'm a warlock." He then snapped his fingers and a blue flame erupted from them. Max's eyes widen in awe. A little giggle escaped from him as Magnus performed more magic for him.

            Still consumed by the little tricks the warlock had performed, Max barely notice Alec beside him, whose face had lit up with a small smile. Even then, Max could see anxiety in the lines of his face and the way he stood. Clearly he was nervous, but what for? Did he think Max wouldn't like his friend? If he did, he obviously had nothing to worry about now. This guy was super cool. Maybe he would take Magnus to that comic store like Clary would. He was already really excited to go just once.

            "Max, this is.." Alec paused. He looked unsure for a second, but it only took one look at Magnus for him to bravely continue on, "Max, this is my boyfriend, Magnus. He's someone whose really special to me. Because you're really special to me too, I wanted you to meet him." Alec stood there, waiting for the inevitable questions. Why did Alec have a boyfriend like Isabelle instead of a girlfriend like Jace? Don't only girls have boyfriends? He waited for the confusion over why Alec was so different, so weird, so wrong.

            Max opened his mouth, Alec flinching, "You have a boyfriend?" he asked with pure curiosity. He wanted to know more about the man who apparently wasn't merely a friend of Alec's but a boyfriend. Alec swallowed hard, carefully planning out the words he would use to try to explain to his brother.

            "Yeah, Max, I do, just like Izzy," he wanted to say more, but was unsure how to.

            Max saved him, "And just like the character in my manga," he smiled, quickly flashing the manga in question. "I like your boyfriend," he stated simply. Alec looked very surprised at the statement, but why would he? Magnus was nice and kind to him when others weren't and he had showed him magic. How could he not like him? Alec chose his boyfriend well.

            "Listen, Max," began Alec, "you can't tell mom and dad, not even Jace, okay?" Max could see a hint of desperation on his face.

            "Why?" He asked. He wouldn't tell if Alec didn't want him to, but that didn't stop him from being curious.

            "It's just that..." he hesitated, "It's just that I want to be the first to tell them. So, I would really appreciate it if you kept it a secret for me."

            "Okay," said Max and then he turned back to the manga he was reading before Alec had come in with his boyfriend. He heard the door open and shut, still not knowing why Alec was so scared in the first place.


	12. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes from fanfiction.net  
> Hi...So I realize that it's been a few months.I realize that I neglected this story. I realize that and I'm really sorry. I have an excuse, not really. See, it started of Nanowrimo and I got a big chunk of my actual book written. Seeing as how I was writing 2000 words a day, writing an additional thousand or so didn't seem appealing. So, I put this on the back burner and then I took December off. So basically, I should I have come back to this in January. It's now March and my only excuse is that I had forgotten the direction I was heading in (if I even had one) and I needed to get back into writing again. I also joined a lot of other fandoms and began writing fics for other ships (Harurin for any of those that watch Free!). But now I have sat down and planned out the rest of this fic and wrote a damn chapter. I'm back. For those of you who waited and are reading this, thank you so much. I'll give you a little refresher to jog your memory.
> 
> This fic started off with Magnus in bed with Alec (I actually really regret that, but what can you do) when Alec's mother comes knocking worried about her son. He promises to help her as to direct attention away from Alec and then she leaves and Alec and Magnus call over Isabelle. Isabelle told Alec that their mother loved him and that she should know. He storms off and then Magnus and Isabelle have a little friendship/ you're dating my brother moment. Isabelle and Alec have a talk in Alec's room and Maryse hears. She blames herself, tells Magnus she no longer needs her assistance and then Alec promised to let Magnus meet Max. In the last chapter they just exited his room. Hope you remember. Also I went back and updated most of the chapters, the writing was really iffy. I did not change any plot, so you don't have to go back and reread them. That said, enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are in the hands of Cassandra Clare and the deserve your pity.

Reality didn't seem to have the same meaning anymore. It was as if the blond had finally found the truth he didn't realize he was seeking and then life laughed at his face as its hand grasped this newfound knowledge and pulled it away so brutally that Jace had been sent flying, his insides still aching from when he hit the . The word had always felt foreign in his mind, but slowly the shadowhunter had grown accustomed to the quirky ways of family his raven-haired sister and brother had shown him; he learned to recognize and connect the two as brother and sister. Siblings.

Clary ignored every wall that Alec and Isabelle had to slowly break down, pulling each brick away one at a time. She smashed through, as if his fortress was equal to some little kid's abandoned sand castle. She introduced a new word to him: lover. How could lover turn to sibling? The mere thought had such an absurdity to it. He knew what siblings were and the red-head matched no part of his crafted definition. Yet, her mother was his mother and her father was his father. She fit the dictionary definition perfectly.

His silent sulking in the halls of the institute ended sharply as he looked up to realize he was in the vicinity of Max's room and the blond could hear hushed whispers up ahead. Jace thought about turning back to resume dwelling on his conflictions elsewhere, but then his eyes rested upon the least likely two. Alec and Magnus stood just slightly beyond Max's closed door, the dark-haired boy's hand still gently holding onto the knob. The warlock who often shone with the faux sparkle of glitter now required no help as his presence burst with an aura of happiness and an unabashed smile claimed his features. Alec stood beside him and the usually subdued boy whomJace had grown up with these past few years now emanated a powerful surge of emotion as rouge seeped through his pale cheeks.

The pair seemed to be caught up in their own world; Magnus's hand reached out to intertwine with Alec's, but then hesitated. A crack splintered the glass, breaking the spell enough for the warlock to have remembered that the walls that rose up on either side of them belonged to the institute. Yet, the reminder came too late and Jace for once forgot his own problems and stood the in shock as he learned that his parabatai was in a relationship. The Alec before him was an Alec which Jace had never seen, an Alec that his best friend wouldn't share in front of him. Although he was still acting quite quiet and shy, never had the black-haired boy acted so flustered. They were almost cute.

The blond's immediate response was joy that his brother had found someone who could evoke such a reaction from him, but soon he felt anger bubble up. Alec had only been part of his life for a few years and so how he had managed to wedge himself deep into the blond's circle of affection, loving him more than even a brother could manage. There was a certain amount of trust between the two and now Jace felt like he was behind locked doors looking in through the key hole. Why had the boy whose hair shone black as night tried to hide secrets in the darkness he had chosen to cover himself in? Why did he find himself not able to tell Jace? Was it because Magnus was male? Did that mindless boy actually think he'd care about the gender of his love rather than the person themself?

Blood boiled in his veins, sending waves of heat throughout his body. The weight of that heat burned in his chest and before he could collapse underneath the incomprehensible amount of pressure attempting to force him to the ground, the blond soldier sprinted away from the scene of the happy couple and toward the training room, the first place that offered any semblance to his home.

When he walked into the safety the training room offered, his hand flew to the nearest weapon as if guided by an invisible force that hungered for the raw violence that waited to be released. Fingers curled around daggers as he carried a set to the targets. He grasped one, arm pulled back, poised to throw, and felt his muscles slide as the boy flung his arm forward, the knife twisting away from his fingers. He watched as the knife turned in the air, one quick revolution after another until is struck...the wall next to his target. Anger washed over again at the blond's failure and he picked up another knife, watching again as it skimmed the side. Frustration continued to build inside of him as his sight clouded and each knife continued to miss.

Even training, which usually calmed his senses, could not mask the sense of betrayal he recognized brimming underneath his surface. Had the two not stood facing each other and vowed an oath stronger than that of brotherhood? Had their bond grown so taut that the trust they once held had evaporated? Another knife slipped away from the soldier's fingers as he remembered the corridor in which the couple had been, the room from which they had just excited. Max knew. His brother, his parabatai had chosen to tell his youngest sibling. Alec had determined that such knowledge would best be put in the hands of a child rather than in him. He trusted Max more than he trusted thought only anger Jace further. Did Isabelle know too? Was he the only sibling that did not know of the eldest Lightwood's love life?

The knives kept flying through the air, a gleam of silver flashing a blinding light each time and each time they missed. The knives were flung faster and faster, each thump against the wall behind ringing louder than the last. Soon they felt like extensions of the soldier's body, as if he was trying to slash away at his anger. His failure only became more distinguished.

His failure. Of course, none of this was his parabatai's fault. The eroding trust between them rested on the shoulders of the blond shadowhunter. Jace had allowed himself to be distracted, allowed himself to lose sight of his siblings and they had paid dearly for it. He remembered the time when the black-haired boy's life was almost taken because of him. He remembered the way the demon's poison travelled through his body. He remembered hearing of how the warlock had saved his best friend's life. He had nothing to do with it. He couldn't save him. This was his failure. This was his fault. How could it not have been?

Acceptance settled into his bones as he realized that the anger building up inside of him was directed toward himself and not his brother. This time the thump of the knife sounded different and Jace removed enough of the fog to see that he had hit the side of his target. He threw again and the knife landed slightly nearer to the center. The next one hit exactly in the middle, a perfect kill.

"Nice shot," came a familiar voice from behind, "want to try some sparing?" Jace turned around and stared shockingly at Alec, who had managed to sneak up behind him. He stood there, a small smug smile resting on his face as he realized the feat he had accomplished. Jace was not one easily surprised and not one easily snuck up upon. Challenge burrowed in the pale boy's bones, his stature a confidence the blond rarely saw. A grin graced the soldier's face as he turned to accept. The fight begun.

He felt the wind of Alec's swing rush against his face and he moved his foot only to be perfect blocked by his parabatai. He saw the power that his best friend carried, the strength stored in every glide of muscle. The Alec in front of him wasn't a new Alec, but the true one. This boy wasn't desperate to hide behind his siblings, to be placed in the background. Magnus had reached inside of the warrior and showed him his true worth. It was a side Jace could get used to seeing. He felt the bond slowly being forged again.

Tempted to reveal to Alec the knowledge he possessed, the blond held his tongue. Once their bond had healed from the havoc he had wreaked and their trust had solidified, then the two could sit comfortably with the knowledge. For now, Jace would wait for his time. He would show his brother that he loved him, that he cared for him. He would show his brother that judgment would never settle in his eyes. He would show his brother that he was worthy of his trust and that he deserved it. He would show his brother that they would always be brothers, parabatai.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, another chapter written after the months of nothing! I really hope you liked and you might have noticed that the writing style has changed a bit or maybe you didn't. If you were shocked by the change, I'm sorry. The rest of the chapters will have this voice. It's the writing voice I have found and matured and hope to mature even more. The other chapters are planned, but only like one sentence. I haven't written outlines for them yet. So, please feel free to let me know what you think should happen. I do and have done before take those into consideration. Your comments and reviews to help break any writer's block and also guilt me into writing more. I hope we get through the end of this more smoothly. Thank you for reading :)


	13. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Yeah, this is chapter 13, but I call it chapter 14 so I'm not confused with the one posted on fanfiction.net. Also, I can be a shit updater sometimes. I do apologize for that. I make promises that I can't keep, so I'll try not to do that. This is my longest chapter yet, so I hope you like it. I have four more chapters planned out. 
> 
> Disclaimer: this is a chapter that comes straight from the book, just a different POV. Also these characters and the dialog belong to Cassandra Clare not me...so yeah!

She could feel the nervousness, the tightening unease seep into her bones. Maryse fought off the shortness of breath that threatened to alert everyone to her troubles. She pulled in air in long, even breaths. Control was everything now. Showing that women any sign of weakness would only result in more humiliation of the Lightwood family, her family. Any movement, word, expression she could contain within her power was sealed under heavy restraint. She would be the cement between bricks that held her family together. Jace was family and this woman was trying remove him. So, Maryse didn't show it; she didn't let her know that every movement of that insidious woman led the inquisitor closer to her goal and closer to the destruction of her family. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

            Begrudgingly, she led the group consisting of her husband and daughter and _her_ , the outsider. With blood racing through her palm as she extended her fingers, she pressed the small button beside a door and let the dread flood through her as the buzz sounded through the walls. She would loved to think in the cliché terms of how time seemed to slow to a crawl, the intensity of the situation building, but instead the door flew open immediately and far too quickly revealing a familiar werewolf.

            Anger rippled from the woman behind her, but Maryse held her position as leader when she burst into the room, Isabelle taking up her rightful place at her side. Her eyes first fell on Jace. Jace, who had broken the rules. Jace, who had allowed that hound of an inquisitor on his heels. Jace, who was about to be ensnared by her trap. Her son, who she had gone to the lengths of accepting a break in their relationship (as stupid as the ploy had been) in exchange for his safety, had decided to flee from safety's grasp. She didn't think she could bear watching this hound tear him to pieces.

            Her worries of Jace were almost forgotten when Alec had appeared before her, stepping into the middle of the room with a look of pure determination gracing his face. Everyone around him looked nervous, but his stone-hard willfulness shone above all else. He carried a confidence that she always wish he would show, but this sudden leap only managed to scare her. It seemed so out of place. She spoke out to him, "Alec, what on earth are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that-" he was to remain in safety, away from that wretched woman, but she was interrupted.

            "Mother," though his voice was not unkind, his directness toward her felt like a shout. It was a tone he rarely took when addressing his parents. She was slightly scared of what would come next. "Father. There's something I have to tell you." He started to smile, but this still did not ease Maryse. "I'm seeing someone." Her heart sunk and she could feel her airways close as she soon began to choke on fear. Maryse had been desperate for Alec to confide in her, for him to feel close enough as her son to trust her with such information for she would hold his precious heart in her hands and protect it. She would give him the acceptance that he craved, but Robert would never. He would take his spirit and slowly crumble it. Of course, he would take no physical action against Alec, but she would not be able to block the icy words that would surely seep from his mouth. Robert would ruin Alec with his unwillingness to accept. The reaction of the inquisitor couldn't be more feared as well. Would she make Alec a target as much as Jace? Cast him out because she too would choose not to understand? In this moment, the risks were far to great and silently she begged her son to hold his silence, just for now.

            Already Robert seemed averse to hearing Alec's declaration, "Alec," he said, "this is hardly the time." Robert had never spoken words so true, yet Maryse could feel a small part of her begging Alec to speak, to reveal and trust to her his buried secrets. She still craved that motherly bond.

            "Yes it is. This is important. You see, I'm not just seeing anyone," she could hear the excitement running in his words. His desperation seemed to be just as dire as hers, although completely opposite in attitude. While hers was built of fear, his was built of eagerness.  In the side of her vision, she saw Magnus wearing a look of pure astonishment. "I'm seeing a Downworlder. In fact, I'm seeing a war-" Fingers moved quickly and she saw the air around Alec shimmer before he collapsed, his body slamming to the floor.

            "Alec!" cried Maryse, her hand flew to her mouth, her conflictions briefly forgotten. Isabelle rushed to his side and his eyes soon fluttered open. Curiosity paired with her motherly instinct, Maryse wanted to demand for answers, but sadly she knew what harm his answers might bring.

            Eyes now open, her son seemed slightly dazed, "Wha-what-why am I on the floor?"

            "That's a good question." Isabelle responded, her features highlighting her discontent. "What was that?" It was relieving to know that the two siblings would protect and scold each other in the times she could not. As long as they all had each other, they would be okay and Maryse would do everything in her power to make sure it remained that way. What little she could do would be done.

            "What was what?" Alec still seemed very confused. His mother worried for the moment when he would figure out the situation he had landed himself in, the words he had almost said. "Wait- did I say anything? Before I passed out, I mean." He was close, almost at that time when he would pull away from her completely, bar himself in and pretend everything was fine.

            "You know how we were wondering if that thing Clary did would work or not?" Jace snickered, clearly not holding the worries everyone else did. He watched easily from the side, body relaxed. "It works all right."

            The words, whatever they meant, did not seem to comfort the black-haired Nephilm. His face grew even more horrified by the second and Maryse's heart cracked as she watched. "What did I say?"

            "You said you were seeing someone," Robert spoke before she could, his words so very not carefully chosen. "Though you weren't clear as to why that was important." Already Robert's tone had taken one of apathy, his mind already far from the concerns of his son.

            "It's not" Alec rambled, flustered. "I mean, I'm not seeing anyone. And it's not important. Or it wouldn't be if I was seeing someone, which I'm not." The boys breathing was slightly erratic, an imperceptible tremor ran through his body, and Maryse continue to hold back the motherly instinct firing through every vein of her body. His blatant lie echoed through the room and filled her mind, and yet, his father still could not muster the energy to care, to find out what had bothered his son so much. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad right now.

            From the other side of the room, Magnus's face mirrored the feelings of those who stood around him. Frustration and annoyance seeping through every orifice, he looked at her son like he was an idiot. "Alec's been delirious," Magnus spoke up, his voice dull, "Side effect of some demon toxins. Most unfortunate, but he'll be fine soon."

            "Demon toxins?" Maryse's voice rang out shrill. She remembered the account of Alec's last demon poisoning, remembered the way they had described his near death state and how close she had been to losing him. Fear mixed with anger and she too took on the rambling's of her son. Her voice picked up and she yelled. "No one reported a demon attack on the Institute. What is going on here, Lucian? This is your house, isn't, it. You know perfectly well if there's been a demon attack you're supposed to report it-"

            "Luke was attacked too," Clary interrupted, rushing to the defense of the werewolf.  "He's been unconscious."  The situation only seemed to be getting worse, more out of hand and the safety of her children now seemed like a place even farther beyond her reach. Even Luke, strong and resilient Luke, had fallen to attack.

            "How convenient. Everyone's either unconscious  or apparently delirious," the Inquisitor's voice drew from the background and she stepped forward, her presence cutting the sound from everyone, silencing the room. "Downworlder, you know perfectly well that Jonathan Morgenstern should not  be in your house. He should be locked up in the warlock's care." Maryse closed her eyes in relief, Alec was no longer on scrutiny; the secret he hid with such care was again stored in endless darkness and away from eyes that sought to destroy. Except now, harm seem to choose Jace as its next subject.

            "I have a name, you know," Magnus said, but seeming to think challenging the inquisitor was a bad idea, he recanted,  "Not that that matters really. In fact, forget all about it."

            "I know your name Magnus Bane," said the Inquisitor, having none of it. She was a women Maryse had known for years and she was a women who loved to assert her power and her  dominance every chance that befallen her.  "You've failed in your duty once; you won't get another chance."

            "Failed in my duty?" Magnus scowled. Their positions were clear, the Inquisitor stood above him in power, but still the warlock did not like to be seen as lesser than human. Maryse thought back to the times Alec had addressed Magnus or mentioned him in brief; never had a word other than his name escape his lips. "Just by bringing the boy here? There was nothing in the contract I signed that said I couldn't bring him with me at my own discretion." The man's anger only continue to grow it seemed, his competence questioned. 

            "That wasn't your failure," that sinister women continued, reveling as those under her power succumbed as if she had planned these events herself. "Letting him see his father last night, that was your failure." The room again fell into silence.

            "That's ridiculous," Luke finally spoke, "Jace doesn't even know where Valentine is. Stop hounding him." She prayed that Luke was right; the consequences if he was wrong were far too great for her Jace. Already, he lays in bad terms with the inquisitor.

            "Hounding is what I do Downworlder," she felt pride in this. "It's my job," that despicable women. "Tell me the truth, now boy," she enjoyed every word, she loved weaving every word of her trap. "and it will all be much easier," she was ready to catch the prize that seized her eye.

            But Jace carried the same pride, never looking down at his shortcomings and his mistakes. He held his ground again, replying with his head held high, "I don't have to tell you anything."

            She held nothing back, "If you're innocent, why not exonerate yourself? Tell us where you really were last night. Tell us about Valentine's little pleasure boat." Awe and shock crept into the room and Maryse saw that the trap was done. Jace had no escape and she was helpless to save him. It felt as if the power had never been hers in the first place.

            "Imogen? You're saying Valentine is- was-" Robert broke the layer of silence that the room had wrapped itself in. He seemed to now be the voice of the room.

            "On a boat in the middle of the East River," Imogen's words were snide and prideful, her victory still so clear. "That's correct."

            "That's why I couldn't find him," Magnus muttered, the thought seemed to be more to himself than the rest of the room. "All that water- it disrupted my spell." The noise around her turned into a buzz. Luke said something, but the words no longer resonated with her. Valentine had been found and now it seemed to be certain that Jace had met with him. Of course, she had no doubt in the boy's loyalties, but knowing Imogen, Maryse needed no convincing to know that Imogen would not be swayed from the course she set out on.

            "Ask Jonathan," said the Inquisitor, Maryse forced herself to listen the events partaking around her. "He borrowed a motor cycle from the head of the city's vampire clan and he flew it to the boat. Isn't that right, Jonathan?" No question was to be found in her words.

            Turning her attention to boy she raised at the age of ten, she saw no reaction. His face remained emotionless and Imogen drank in the tension."Reach into the pocket of your jacket," she ordered, "Take out the object you've been carrying with you since you last left the Institute."

            He slowly slid his hand into his pocket, bring out an object that shined in the light of the room. In his hand he held a blue-gray piece of the portal that Valentine shattered; the piece that held the image of his old estate. "Give it to me," the inquisitor demand as she greedily snatched it out of his hand. The brutality of her hand caused the glass to slice across the palm of his hand, releasing droplets of blood. Maryse lost control at the sight, if only for a second, and let out a soft noise of protest. "I knew you'd return to the Institution for this," that deceitful and wretched women barked gleefully, her face opposite Jace's as she hid no emotion.  "I knew your sentimentality wouldn't allow you to leave it behind."

            "What is it?" Confusion was laced in Robert's voice, not even recognizing the significance the object held to his adopted son.

            "A bit of a Portal in mirror form," Inquisitor mused, happily explaining the means of her victory. "When the Portal was destroyed, the image of its last destination was preserved," Delicately, she twisted the mirror around and revealed the image Maryse knew had awaited them. "In this case, the Wayland country house."

            Maryse looked into the mirror and saw the beautiful blue sky of Idris that had always lingered in her memories. Caught up in its loveliness, she was caught by surprise as the Inquisitor threw it to the ground in a quick and violent motion. It shattered upon impact and the blue was gone. She heard Jace from across the room, his breath sharpened and her heart hardened in hatred.

            The Inquisitor then slipped on a gray pair of gloves and lowered herself down among the powdery dust. Carefully she moved her fingers through what was left of the mirror, Jace's last hold on his old home, moving the bits around as she looked for something. Maryse had no clue what the mirror could have held. But, soon she found it and held up a sheet of paper marked by a thick rune in black. "I marked this paper with a tracking rune and slipped it between the bit of mirror and it's backing Then I replaced it in the boy's room. Don't feel bad for not noticing it," she sneered in Jace's direction, obviously delighted in her own cunning antics. "Older heads and wiser than yours have been fooled by the Clave."

            "You've been spying on me," growled Jace, his voice now quickly becoming laced with anger, a fire burned in that boy. "Is that what the Clave does, invade the privacy of its fellow Shadowhunters to-"

            "Be careful what you say to me. You are not the only one who's broken the Law." her voice boomed, the threat clear. "In releasing you from the Silent City, in freeing you from the warlock's control, your friends have done the same." Maryse stood on the side, her voice silent but her emotions shouting.

            "Jace isn't our friend," defended Isabelle, "He's our brother." Always her mother's daughter. Isabelle Lightwood, her little girl, acted as her voice. She was a daughter Maryse was proud to call her own, a girl of strength and determination. She held a loyalty Maryse couldn't have even hoped for. In her terrible marriage with Robert, she had gained three beautiful children, outshining any loss of the husband she deserved. Then Jace had come, entering into the fold of her protection. She valued his life and safety just as much as the rest of her children.

            "I'd be careful what you say, Isabelle Lightwood," said the Inquisitor, her voice just goading for some sort of retaliation. "You could be considered complicit and get your Marks stripped." Hatred for this women electrified the air, and yet the one who spoke up was the one least expected to

            "Complicit?" Robert's voice synced with the crackling hatred, "The girl was just trying to keep you from shattering our family." Maryse let out an exasperated sigh and looked around thankfully as no one seemed to notice it. As if the bastard had the authority to talk about shattering families, as if he hadn't been the cause of the fractured lines running through them. "For God's sake, Imogen, these are all just children-"

            "Children?" she turned her attention to Maryse's husband, "Just as you were children when the Circle plotted the destruction of the Clave?" Like knifes, that women hurled insults at them, bringing them back to the days of wretched and blind foolishness. But not only had the Inquisitor brought back the past, she had also pulled her children into it. She had mixed Maryse's faults with her victories. "Just as my son was a child when he-"

            "So this is about Stephen after all," Luke spoke up, but his voice did not hold the anger Maryse felt. Instead, he treated her with pity. "Imogen-"

            "This is not about Stephen!" Anger contorted her features as Luke's kind and pitying words had snapped the cord in her. The game had disappeared and now the Inquisitor entered the conversation with full rage. "This is about the Law!"

            "And Jace," she asked nervously, knowing Imogen's rage was a tricky situation to deal with. She kept her face clear of emotions, forcing her own anger and anxiety into her hands as she pulled and twisted her fingers. "What's going to happen to him?"

            "He will return to Idris with me tomorrow," replied Imogen, her anger still present but harnessed.  "You've forfeited your right to know any more than that." As if any true parent could agree to that. As if Maryse could ever be okay forfeiting her ability to protect any of her children. And yet, her hands had been tied. Jace stood under the harsh weight of Imogen's authority and Alec hid behind the wall of his own fear. The two had fled her protection long ago and still Maryse could not get out from under the crushing guilt that she should do something. Of course, she wanted to speak out, to rip Jace away from the Inquisitor and hide him underneath her protective wing again. Of course, she wanted to call out to her eldest and proclaim her love that would never waver, to tell him her son's choices were ones she would always accept. Still, she held back because both actions would only sink the two further.

            "Leave it alone, Clary!" Jace shouted, his angry voice ringing out around them room. "For your own good, leave it alone!" His anger began to mix with desperation. The mask her son always donned began to crack in just the right places. In this moment, he had lost his ability to pretend he didn't care.

            "If the boy went to his father," Luke spoke, his voice serious as his hand descended onto Clary's shoulder, "knowing the kind of father Valentine was, it is because we failed him, not because he failed us." His words could not have been any truer. Hadn't  she earlier tried to kick him out of the Institute in some ridiculous attempt to save him from the Inquisitor? That had played out very nicely.

            "Save your sophistry, Lucian," said Imogen. "You've gone as soft as a mundane."

            "She's right." said Alec and Maryse could just barely hold herself back from gasping, her eyes widening ever so slightly. He rested on the edge of the sofa. Arms crossed and a stern face, he looked every bit serious. Out of all her children, she expected none to agree with the Inquisitor. She hadn't even thought about it. Robert, yes, but not her children. "Jace lied to us. There's no excuse for that." Even Jace stood there in horror, his mouth opened in shock. Betrayal laced itself in his eyes.

            "Alec, how can you say that?" Izzy almost shrieked at her brother. The tension and surprise evident in her voice. Izzy, who unlike her brother hid nothing, let her anger at her brother seethe.

            "The Law is the Law, Izzy" Alec said, his voice did not waver and yet it seemed like he couldn't gather the strength to look at her. "There's no way around that." Letting out an outburst of rage, she stalked out of the door, leaving it to swing wide open. Maryse began to follow her daughter. Unable to take the strain much longer, she sought to comfort Isabelle.

            Robert called her back before she could move much further. "Stay, we must stand by the Inquisitors decision," he told her, words from his mouth so easily predictable, "even if you do not agree with it."

            "I do believe that's my cue to leave as well," chimed in Magnus, rising to his feet. She noticed the way he struggled to avoid looking at Alec. Remembering Isabelle's earlier words, she felt pity for the Warlock. "I'd say it's been nice meeting you all, but, in fact, it hasn't. It's been quite awkward, and frankly, the next time I see a single one of you will be far too soon." With that he left, the door closed forcefully this time. Alec's eyes had not left the ground once.

"Two down," said Jace "Who's next?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who waited patiently. I know what it feels like to wait for a fic to update. I have not and will not give up on this fic (it's the very first one I began and wrote so I don't want to let it go unfinished). I appreciated every comment and every kudo I recieved! Thank you to everyone who has read and followed!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Please just tell me whatever you think, I love hearing stuff from you and anything at all is a real help! Thanks for reading! (Also, sorry about chapter titles (not my strong suit)


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